Arrangement in loading and digging machines



y 11, 1965 H. G. A. BERGMANN 3,182,831

ARRANGEMENT IN LOADING AND DIGGING MACHINES Filed Nov. 30, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 y 11, 1965 H. e. A. BERGMANN 3,182,831

@RRANGEMENT IN LOADING AND DIGGING MACHINES Filed Nov. 30, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent 1 Claim. Cl. 214-140 This invention relates to an arrangement in loading and digging machines comprising an implement carried at the front end of the machine by a support connected to the machine and wherein the implement is swingable about an axis located in a plane parallel to the longitudinal direction of the machine. The invention is characterized in that the implement is connected to the support by means of a deep groove ball bearing designed to take radial as well as axial forces acting between the implement and the support.

It is previously known to mount, on a support connected to the machine, an implement, such as a digging bucket or a so-called timber carrying fork, for swinging movement about a strong journal carried by the implement or the support and mounted in a journal bearing of considerable length provided on the other part, in which case strong sustaining faces are provided to take the thrust loads. It has been necessary to provide a long and strong journal and bearing adapted to take the high loads, resulting in a great weight of the bearing members for the bucket and a reduction of the useful weight of the load allowable for the bucket and the machine. This fact is particularly noticeable in case of machines wherein the support for the implement is carried by comparatively long arms rockably mounted on the machine, but even in machines of other type a bulky and heavy bearing is inconvenient, expensive and often difiicult to repair, if necessary.

The invention is described more closely hereinbelow first of all with reference to an embodiment illustrated in p the annexed drawing.

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of the front part of a machine propelled by wheels or caterpillars and associated with an implement in the form of a bucket. FIG. 2 is a partial view of FIG. 1 in the direction of the arrows A--A. FIG. 3 is a sectional view along the line BB in FIG. 2, FIG. 4 is a sectional view along the line CC in FIG. 2, and FIG. 5 illustrates another embodiment of the ball bearing.

Numeral 3 denotes the front end part of a machine having a conventional hydraulically operable linkage which comprises vertically rockable arms 3a which carry a support 2 for the implement represented by a digging bucket 1, and push and pull arms 3b for swinging the support and the bucket up and down about a transverse shaft 30. The bucket is swingably mounted on the support 2 about an axis 15 extending in a longitudinal plane through the machine such that the bucket can be laterally tilted relative to the machine.

In the embodiment illustrated, the support 2 comprises a strong front plate or disk 2a to which brackets 2b are welded for mounting the arms 3a, 3b. The bucket has a fastening member represented by a strong plate 1a which is welded to backrests provided on the lower side of the bucket. Between the plates 1a and 2a there is provided a deep groove ball bearing 4 having an outer race 5 and an inner race 6.

For lateral tiltingof the bucket a power transmission is provided between the fastening member of the bucket and the support 2. In the embodiment exemplified the transmission comprises a hydraulic cylinder 7 which is ice rockably mounted on a pivot 8 secured to the support 2 The piston rod of the cylinder is articulated to a stut 9 secured to the plate member 1a of the bucket. Whe: the bucket is swung by means of the cylinder 7, the stu '9 moves in an arcuate slot 16 in the support 2.

The races of the ball bearing should be secured to re spectively to the support plates 1a and 2a. Preferably the race 5 is firmly secured to the face of support plat 1a and the other race 6 is secured to the face of suppor plate 2a. In its simplest form the bearing exclusivel consists of these races secured to their respective suppoi plates and having ball receiving grooves designed to tak a combination of radial and thrust loads occurring dur ing the operation of the bucket. It will also be seen fror FIG. 3 that the axial distance between the support plate 1a, 2a is maintained at an optimum minimum due to th fact that only a minimum rotational clearance is estal: lished between the non-secured end of each race and th plate member which it confronts. If desired, an additionz rest may be provided which becomes efliective in the dig ging position of the bucket and particularly acts to resis the very high stresses which are likely to occur when th bucket, after having been forced into the material to b loaded, is to be swung upwards or erected to the load carrying position shown in the drawing. An example c such additional rest is illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 4. A equal arcuate distances from the vertical plane throug' the axis 15 of the turning movement and on either sid of this plane there is provided an angular boss 10 secure to the support 2 for cooperation with a correspondin angular boss 11 secured to the part 111. When the bucke assumes a horizontal position in the process of digging the angular bosses are engaging each other so as to tak up all or part of the forces occurring during the erectio of the bucket from the digging position and to reliev the ball bearing entirely or partly in this position.

The races of the ball bearing are of great diameters an have deep grooves for a great number of balls to tak high thrust loads. The widths of the races are many time smaller than the diameters of the races, resulting in short erecting lever, a narrow bearing and a low weigh The above described embodiment may be modified i various manners within the scope of the invention. Fc instance, the inner race of the hearing may be mounte on a short pivot which is secured to the appertainin part and may be annular to reduce its weight. This pivc may extend from the fastening member of the bucket an may be formed with the ball groove without the inter mediary of a race. In this instance the outer race 1' secured to or formed in the support 2.

Instead of the hydraulically operating tilting devic 7-9 another source of power and/ or power transmissio may be provided. The hydraulic cylinder may act upo a rack which meshes with a pinion on a part connecte with the bucket or other implement. An electric motc may be mounted on the support so as to tilt the imple ment via gear wheels or a worm gear. An embodiment c this type is illustrated in FIG. 5.

The inner ball bearing race 6 which here is secured t the implement, for instance to the plate 1a, has an annula rear extension in the form of a worm wheel 6a. The othe ball bearing race 5 is secured to the support 2, for ir stance in an opening of the plate 2a. The support 2 ca] ries a motor 12 which drives a worm 12a in mesh wit the worm Wheel 6a. The worm gear 6a, 12a has a prc tecting cover 13. It may be of the self-locking type t prevent forces from being transmitted from the implemer or tool to the drive motor 12.

The worm gear transmission permits of an unlimite turning movement of the implement relative to the su; port 2, for instance about an angle of at least whic may be required for certain types of implements.

[n the embodiment illustrated in the drawing, the im- :ment is a channel-shaped bucket which is well suited deposition of the material by side dumping. Instead reof, the implement may be, for instance, a timber 'rying fork which receives the timber in a horizontal sition and then is swung through an angle of about 90 transport the timber in this position. For other types implements a swinging movement of about 180 may required.

What I claim is:

The combination with a machine of the front end gging and loading type having a vertically movable lonudinally arranged arm, of a support secured to said n, said support including a first plate member arrged transverse to the longitudinal direction of said vchine, an implement including a second plate member ated at the rear of said implement, and means intermecting said first and second plate members for rotan of said implement on said support about an axis nor- V1 to the faces of said plate members, said interconnectmeans including a deep groove ball bearing having .er and outer races centered with respect to said axis of rotation and ball bearings therebetween for absorbing both radial and axial forces acting upon said support and implement, said races being secured respectively to said first and second plate members, the distance between said plate members exceeding the width of each race only by a minimal amount necessary for rotational clearance as between the non-secured end of each race and the plate member which it confronts, and said races together with said ball bearings constituting the sole rotational supporting structure as between said support and implement.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 572,904 12/96 Micou 308219 1,047,257 12/12 Loubriat 21431 X 1,106,988 8/14 Swindell 214-31 1,493,714 5/24 Wells.

2,924,345 2/60 Bodin 214-145 2,932,101 4/60 Ludowici 214-131 X HUGO O. SCHULZ, Primary Examiner. 

